Meteorologists are warning that a major storm could sweep across large parts of the US, potentially affecting up to 2 billion Americans.
With spring getting underway, conditions haven’t exactly shifted into the calmer, brighter pattern many expect at this time of year.
AccuWeather forecasters have issued an alert over what they describe as a “triple-threat March megastorm,” as the system pushes through the country and brings multiple hazards with it.
The warning arrives only weeks after New York was hit by bitter winds and snowfall, but this time the worst impacts are expected to track farther south.
Experts say the storm is forecast to bring heavy snow to the Midwest and Great Lakes, while also producing strong wind gusts across central and eastern regions.
Forecasters also say there is a risk of severe weather, including potential tornadoes, as winds strengthen. Large hail is additionally expected in parts of the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio valleys.
Those threats could lead to serious travel disruption, widespread power outages, and dangerous driving conditions across affected areas.
The storm’s impact has already been felt in several states, with outages reported for more than 127,000 customers in Michigan, 54,000 in Ohio, and 44,000 in Pennsylvania as the system moved in.
From the Plains through to the East Coast, wind gusts nearing 80 mph could further complicate travel and infrastructure conditions.
At the time of the update, Atlanta (ATL) and Charlotte (CLT) were among the first airports to introduce temporary stops to scheduled departures due to the weather.
Major hubs including Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, and Charlotte may also see delays and cancellations.
Even after the storm moves on, conditions may not improve quickly.
That’s because another surge of Arctic air is expected to follow, with cities such as New York and Philadelphia potentially seeing daytime highs struggle to rise beyond the low 40s.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said in a statement: “People also need to be prepared for prolonged and additional power outages as there are many customers across Ohio and Western Pennsylvania who are still without power Sunday morning from strong winds on Friday.”